


A Million Promises

by ShelltacularWingedQueen (MrsVisyakSinger)



Category: TMNT (2007), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Break Up, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Song Lyrics, Songfic, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:20:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21752128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsVisyakSinger/pseuds/ShelltacularWingedQueen
Summary: We can make a million promises but, we still won't change...songfic to I Don't Wanna Cry by Mariah Carey, Leo/Karai but, more anti-Leo/Karai.
Relationships: Karai/Leonardo (TMNT)
Kudos: 4





	A Million Promises

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old piece I re-wrote and edited, I am now posting it to my AO3. The lyrics to I Don't Wanna Cry belong to Mariah Carey, there's also a brief Batman reference and Batsy belongs to DC Comics, the TMNT belong to Viacom, enjoy!

_Once again we sit in silence_

_After all is said and done_

_Only emptiness inside us_

_Baby, look what we've become_

That loud clang that metal swords make once they hit the ground was all too familiar to Leonardo and Karai at this point.

Currently, they had taken to opposite sides of the room and were saying nothing; preferring this non-speaking state of simply staring blankly at the other instead of actual communication because quite frankly, communication solved nothing.

Leo always seemed to say the wrong thing and in the blink of an eye, Karai grabbed her blade and raised it to him. She really expected him to sit there and take a beating from her. The first problem with that was the fact that Leo would let no one beat on him, especially not her.

Maybe running away together had been a stupid thing to do. But they were out to prove both their families wrong and were going to do so.

Or, so they had planned...

Where did their love go?

_We can make a million promises_

_But we still won't change_

_It isn't right to stay together_

_When you only bring each other pain_

Actually, Leo knew the answer to that question.

Their so-called 'love' had formed out of the fact that they were so similar in following orders from their respective masters. Then, finally breaking away from the commands they’d once honored and going for each other had been just the slightest taste of forbidden fruit to drive them both over the edge.

Of course, fire burns at a fast pace and that 'fire' in the fact of how angry Master Splinter and Shredder would be with them was soon extinguished. 

At that point, Karai just had to start running her mouth... 

How dare she go on criticizing Master Splinter, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo! 

And while he'd never been quick to anger, the minute Karai insulted his family; Leo did the same and insulted the alien slug she chose to call her father.

These arguments were very common and in fact, they had said the same thing to each other time and time again:

“I'm sorry, I'll never say those things again.”

But that never happened, points from old arguments were frequently recycled and very often expanded upon. 

On that note, this cycle of fighting had all the power to turn violent.

_I don't wanna cry_

_Don't wanna cry_

_Nothing in the world_

_Could take us back_

_To where we used to be_

Leonardo turned away from Karai as she exited the room. He could finally be alone with his thoughts, ones he'd been meaning to sort out for the longest time.

He was starting to see everything clearly now and the reality of the situation was that they were never going to be the same.

'I love you' was not going to be uttered ever again. 

Plus, they were over the rush of pissing off their fathers. And, what was it earning them continuing on with this charade of what had been a relationship?

_Though I've given you my heart and soul_

_I must find a way of letting go_

_'Cause baby_

_I don't wanna cry_

Another thing Leo was starting to realize that he was much too emotionally invested in the relationship.

It was sick.

After all, he'd lost count of all the times that Karai betrayed him and while he wasn't trying to hold a grudge, there was that time that she stabbed and while his shell had significantly healed since that time, it was always going to be a weaker point of contact on his body.

He simply couldn't stick around for this and that was when several words from his brothers rang in his mind. 

First, was Donatello's advice:

“Leo, you should be logical about this. Don't blindly go off without thinking it through first."

Don had a point, maybe if Leo had taken all of two seconds to really assess his relationship with Karai he wouldn't be sitting here feeling completely stupid!

Then came Michelangelo's advice:

“Bro, I get where you're coming from. Talia al Ghul had Batman acting like you are. But, the difference is Talia really loved Batsy at one point. Dude, if Karai really loved you, she wouldn't stab you when her Papa Shred-Head says so 'cause she'd argue that she loved you. She doesn't stand up for you, does she?”

As rare as it was, Mikey was right. Oh so, right. 

Despite calling him childish from time to time, Mikey was pretty good at understanding relationships what with all the love-life drama his favorite superheroes experienced so regularly.

Finally were Raphael's words:

“Ya know what? Fine, Leo, go. But when that bitch breaks your heart, don't come home cryin' ta us."

Raph raised yet another good point: if Leo had been so eager to run away thus leaving his family for a girl that was bound to hurt him, if and when things fizzled with Karai, he had practically no right to come back home. Especially since he had ignored every piece of advice that his brothers had given him.

_Too far apart to bridge the distance_

_But something keeps us hanging on and on_

_Pretending not to know the difference_

_Denying what we had is gone_

In clinging to this pride of never wanting to be wrong, Leo and Karai were clinging to each other. 

They were taking this crumbling relationship over an 'I told you so' from their loved ones.

But, there was the truth.

They had been wrong. This, this...whatever had become of them...it was wrong.

No happily ever after awaited them.

Much as they both wanted to continue lying to themselves about that fact, they simply couldn't.

It was over, all over.

_Every moment we're together_

_It's just breaking me down_

_I know we swore it was forever_

_But it hurts too much to stay around_

Leonardo couldn't stay with Karai, not anymore. 

Staying was an excruciating pain, and not for nothing but, if he had given his all while she hadn't even so much as batted an eyelash in the matter, why should he be so caught up the way he was? 

Why should he let the pain consume him?

Failure is inevitable, Leo had long since learned to accept failure. Though, he hadn’t counted on his now shambles of a relationship turning into a lesson.

On the bright side, Leo gave this relationship the best effort that he could. However, he shouldn't have had to be the one carrying it by himself. 

It was in his best interest to move on.

_I don't wanna cry_

_Don't wanna cry_

_Nothing in the world_

_Could take us back_

_To where we used to be_

Holding his head in his hands, Leo managed to catch his breath. He was going to leave Karai tonight, once and for all.

Right before his eyes he saw the beginnings of their relationship: seeing the good in Karai, their rooftop sparring matches, her betrayals and his blindness in forgiving her each and every time…

He saw now how wrong he had been in forgiving her in the first place.

What Karai wanted was power, more so, power over him.

If she was weakening him emotionally in this way, it was a wonder that she wouldn't start to physically weaken him. Maybe that was why she kept trying to raise her blade to him.

_Though I've given you my heart and soul_

_I must find a way of letting go_

_'Cause baby_

_I don't wanna cry_

A sigh escaped from the Fearless leader. He couldn't even fathom why he'd done this to himself. Was he a masochist?

Did taking this pain that wouldn't let him sleep at night help him in the great scheme of things?

No.

That was the answer to both questions.

No, no, no!

He had been a fool, a fool in love.

Clearly, he had been in love with Karai and sure, maybe she had some feelings of infatuation for him but not ones of love.

Love was much too strong a word to have been using and at this very moment. Leonardo vowed never to use it again unless he really meant it.

_All the magic's gone_

_There's just a shadow of a memory_

_Something just went wrong_

_We can't go on make-believing_

_On make-believing_

It was after dark now. Not since today's final argument had Leo and Karai spoken.

Karai had retreated to the space she'd been sleeping in wherever that happened to be and Leo was in the alcove he had taken to sleeping in.

When, he put on the hooded cape he'd borrowed from Mikey before running off in the first place.

This was it: The big finish.

While Leo wanted to talk this out like two civilized individuals with Karai, that was an impossibility

He had to go or else face living in this nightmare of a relationship, falling for the words of ‘I’m sorry’ yet again and never breaking free.

  
  


Their end had come sooner than later, but it was for the best.

_I don't wanna cry_

_Don't wanna cry_

_Nothing in the world_

_Could take us back_

_To where we used to be_

Now that the initial 'I told you so' from all three of his brothers and the lecture from Master Splinter were over, Leonardo was starting to feel better.

When he was away from his family and trying to forge on with his relationship with Karai, he felt very lost, empty and even as if something was missing.

Thinking of it now, what was missing was his family. He could never be with someone who his family didn't approve of. 

And, his actual special someone out there would never dare speak ill of his family.

Karai could never be part of the family, she would have too many ulterior motives. 

Then, she would appear to be on their side and would betray their trust the second their guard was down. It was as simple as that.

_Though I've given you my heart and soul_

_I must find a way of letting go_

_'Cause baby_

_I don't wanna cry_

Leo had betrayed his family by running off against their wishes but he would never do it again. 

He wondered if Karai felt any remorse for going against Shredder and The Foot Clan, but he doubted it. Her conscience and emotions save for self-absorption, didn’t exist.

Healing was a process and despite Karai being probably the worst thing to ever come into his life, it was going to take some time for him to get over their relationship. 

The wound of his emotional invest versus the lack of her honoring him with the same was still fresh.

“Look, bro...” Raphael went over to Leo, “about what I said before...it was kinda rotten of me ta say. Y'know if you really gotta, it's okay ta cry.”

“Thank you, Raph,” Leo offered a smile.

Crying...Not that crying was a bad thing but, Karai didn't deserve Leo or his tears. 

Luckily, he'd wised up before it was too late and here he was now: back home, standing tall, and dry-eyed. 

This was going to pass and Leonardo would eventually find someone who deserved to be loved.


End file.
